A TEACHER’S SURVIVAL KIT FOR EVERYDAY LIVING

Dear friends in our life we have to take the role of a teacher in one way or the other. As parents, elder brothers, sisters, friends, coach and so on we have to help out others in their growth and life. Life itself is a teacher and teaches us great lessons. But we need to remind ourselves of certain elements which will enable the students to come up in their life and to cope up with their life. If we see in today’s post-modern era teachers are more of money minded and result oriented. They look at students as objects or machines which can be fed in what the teacher want and they in return want the best result or product. We become too strict and demanding and we punish our students. In this process we teachers can forget about the human aspect of the student.

Off late I saw a movie entitled “School of Life”, where we can see the difference between two teachers. One is more worried to win the Best Teacher Trophy which his father has been getting for the past 25 yrs. He is more worried after his father dies to continue the history. On the other hand a young teacher is not worried about it but he is more interested in building his relationship with his students and helping out in their life. All the students love him and they do well. To cut the long story short, the former teacher finds out that the later teacher was about to die since he was suffering from cancer. It is at this moment he changes his approach and begins to be like the young teacher. These are the few things which the movie portrays in a strong way.

So let’s have a look at the survival kit of the teacher in order to build our relationship with our students. Let each item remind us of something about ourselves and about our students. What matters is not the result but how we deal with our students and also what kind of relationship we strike with them. The - Original Author is Unknown, later on Charles Nelson and his fellow teachers adapted for the teachers in South Carolina

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1. Rubber Band: It reminds the teachers that they have to be flexible. Things don’t always go the way we plan. But flexibility will help to work it out.

  

2. Band Aid: It reminds the teachers that sometimes we do more than teach. That we help heal hurt feelings, broken dreams, and lend an ear to a problem.

3. Pencil: It reminds us to be thankful and we should list our blessing daily. But also encourage our students to list their blessings and to be proud of their accomplishments.

4. Eraser: It reminds us to allow students to know we are human and make mistakes just like they do, and its ok. We must all be able to learn from our mistakes.

5. Chewing Gum: It reminds us to stick with it and encourage our students to do like wise. Even the impossible task or assignments can be accomplished by sticking to it.

6. Mint: It reminds us and our students we are worth a mint. We may not be paid a mint, but are worth one.

  

7. Candy Kiss: It reminds us that everyone needs a hug, kiss, or warm fuzzy everyday. All teachers, students, parents and even administrators.

8. Tea Bag: It reminds us we need time to relax, go over our blessing, and take time for others. Family, husbands, wives, friends, children need quality time together.

9. Toothpick: It reminds us to look for the good qualities in our students. You may be the only teacher who says something positive to them that day.

       A teacher must be willing to show their students how much they care!!!

WHAT IS SUCCESS?

Success is speaking words of praise

In cheering other people’s ways;

In doing just the best you can;

With every task and every plan.

It’s silence when your speech would hurt,

Politeness when your nieghobur’s hurt.

It’s deafness when scandal flows;

Any sympathy with other’s woes.

It’s loyalty when duty calls

It’s courage when disaster falls,

It’s patience when the hours are long;

It’s found in laughter and in song.

It’s in the silent time of prayer

In happiness and in despair,

In all of life and nothing less

We find the things we call success.

-UNKNOWN

So dear friends, do you think you are successful after having read the above statements? If not why don't we give a try to become a success by following some of the statements. I am sure you and I will be a successful person if we follow the above sayings. So let's give a try and see whether we can find the things we call success. 

TAP YOUR GENIUS

 

Do you have a passion to accomplish

Something outstanding in your life

Then, take up one single project, after your heart

Make that project your whole life.

Think of it, feel for it and play with it.

Enjoy working on it relentlessly day and night.

Never, Never, Never give up at temporary set backs

Success is not just money or position in essence

It is total fulfillment of your innate potential

And turn out to be a Genius in the field of your choice.

-G. Francis Xavier

LET’S BE GENEROUS IN SHARING WHAT WE HAVE AND WE CAN

LET’S BE GENEROUS IN SHARING

 WHAT WE HAVE AND WE CAN

A stranger went into a village where people were selfish to the core and did not share what they had with each other. So the stranger asked for some food to eat. A woman said, “I have nothing to give you.” The man said, “Never mind. I have a magic stone. If you place this stone in a pot of boiling water, you will get a wonderful soup.” The woman, with great excitement, brought a pot filled with water and placed it on the fire. Then she went and told all the people about the magic stone. The whole village assembled to watch the miracle about the magic stone. The whole village assembled to watch the miracle. The man took a stone form his pocket and put into the boiling water. Then he tasted the water and said, “Ah! The soup only needs some potatoes.” One woman shouted, “I have some potatoes,” then went and brought them form her house. The stranger sliced them and put them into the pot. After some time he tasted the soup and said, “Oh! If only it had some meat in it, it would be a fine soup.” A housewife said, “I have some meat at home.” She went and brought it. The stranger took the meat and mixed it in the soup. Little later, he tasted the soup again and said, “Ah! If only we have some onions, carrots, and beans, the soup would be almost perfect.” One villager shouted, “I have some of them, and I will fetch them right now.” The stranger added them to the soup. A little later he tasted the soup and said. “Ah! The soup is excellent. It only needs a little salt and pepper.” Another man voluntarily offered them. When he tasted it now, it was perfect. He said, “It’s ready. Everybody get a bowl and spoon and some bread if you like, and taste this wonderful soup. Come let us feast and enjoy each other’s company.” All of them rushed home to get a bowl and a spoon and some and some bread. They ate together and laughed together. The stranger having finished his meal, took the stone from the pot, put it into his pocket, and departed before anyone could thank him.

This is the story of a stranger who turned a crowd of selfish men and women into a fellowship of sharers. In the same way, transcending our little selfish worlds of “I” and “Me”, the story asks us to part with what we can. It may not be very valuable, may not be much. There are many ways of doing this, either by contributing materially in some way, or offering our efforts, talents, time to listen too others or to help someone in need.

Let us be generous to our friends, workers in our schools, communities, offices, and families. Let us try to reach out to the people who hunger for acceptance and love, to people who hunger for understanding, who hunger for understanding, who hunger for justice and peace. Remember friends God love a cheerful giver. 

Top Five Regrets By Bronnie Ware

UNDOUBTEDLY SOME OF THE WISEST ADVICE ON LIFE FROM THOSE WHO WERE EXITING THIS WORLD.  IF WE LEARN FROM THIS WE CAN STOP STRIVING TO FIND HAPPINESS AND ACTUALLY FIND IT.  

Top Five Regrets By Bronnie Ware  For many years I worked in palliative care. My patients were those who had gone home to die. I was with them for the last three to twelve weeks of their lives. People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality. I learned never to underestimate someone's capacity for growth. Some changes were phenomenal. Each experienced a variety of emotions, as expected, denial, fear, anger, remorse, more denial and eventually acceptance. Every single patient found their peace before they departed though, every one of them. When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently, common themes surfaced again and again. Here are the most common five: 1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people have had not honored even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made. It is very important to try and honor at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realize, until they no longer have it.   2. I wish I didn't work so hard This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence. By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.   3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result. We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.   4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends Often they would not truly realize the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying. It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.   5. I wish that I had let myself be happier   They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.  How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness.

WHAT LOVE DOES

Dear Friends,
 I am sure you all know what LOVE does for each one of us. But here I am gonna share what Fr Rex Pie shared or told us about what LOVE does for us in our Annual Retreat in the year 2009 dated 1st Sept. to 7th Sept. I am sure you will agree with me regarding what I am gonna share with you. If not try to analyse it for yourself.

WHAT LOVE  DOES

Love Accepts you wherever you are.

- Affirms your goodness and giftedness.

- Cares about you, wants to know that you are okay.

- Challenges you to be all you can be.

- Encourages you to believe in yourself.

- Is Gentle in its ways of dealing with you.

- Keeps Confidence your secrets are safe.

- Is Kind and is always for you, on your side.

- Looks for Goodness in you and finds it.

- Makes you feel Glad that you are you.

- Overlooks your Foolish vanities, human weakness. 

- Prays for your needs and your growth.

- Sees good things in you the others had never noticed.

- Shares itself with you, by self-disclosure.

- Speaks up when you need someone to defend you.

- Is Tactful even when confronting you.

- Takes Responsibility for its own behavior. 

- Tells you the truth always and honestly.

- Thinks about you and your needs.

- Is Tough or Tender depending on your needs.

- Understands yours ups and downs and allows you to face bad days.

OBEDIENCE

OBEDIENCE

1. If you love me, you will keep my commandments. In other words, true obedience spring from love, not from force.

2. The worst man in the world knows a great deal more of his duty than the best man does. It is not for want of knowledge that men go to pieces, but rather for want of obedience to the knowledge of the good they already posses.

3. He will be a poor general who has never been a lieutenant in the ranks.

4. Obedience is the pathway to freedom.

5. A horse must be broken in while he is a clot; a dog must be trained when he is young. So it is with youth. He who has never learned to submit will make himself a tyrant when he obtains power. A silver spoon has choked many a youth. - Lamentations

6. The respect one has for the rule flows naturally form the respect that one has for person who gave it. -St Augustine

7. Authority must always have behind it some value which elicits respect and reverence.

8. The real basis of obedience in the family, therefore is not the fear of punishment, just as in religion it is not the fear of hell. Rather it is based on the fact that one never wants to hurt anyone whom one loves.

9 You who are children must show obedience in the Lord to your parents; it is your duty. -St Paul to Ephesians

10. A man who has never obeyed is not the man who will know how to command.